Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1887-11-17
CAST UPON THE WORLD.
CHAPTER I.

sixty years Of age, small of stature, with a
face upon which traces of sorrow were visible.
His companion was full thirty years his junior.
He possessed regular features bearing the
unmistakable stamp Of resolution aud tenacity
OF purpose. Ills Aeen gray eyes looked out
from beneath pair of heavy brows, aud a
wayy brown mustache partially hid his firm,
set mouth His hair which was dark and in
clined to curl, was worn long, aud combed
back from his broad but not very high fore
head. Indeed, Frederick Norton was what
women call handsome man, yet there was
something In his appearance not calculated to
favorably impress a skilled physiognomlst
He was not popular man in the general
sense-he was too reserved and cold in his
manners to make friends readily. For ten
years he had been the general assistant aud
almost constant companion OF Richard Thorn
dyke, the man who was seated opposite him.
Richard Thorndyke was by birth an English
man. When he was ten years of age his
parents hnmlgratcd TO this country and his
father, being a farmer, invested the limited
means of which he was the possessor in a
tract OF land on Long Island, to the cultiya-
tlon OF which he turned his sole attention !;
but success did not attend his efforts, and
soon the relentless hand Of the law wrested
from him the last remnant OF his little for
tune. The unfortunate man did not long
survive his losses; he left u penDess widow
and young son To battle with the world.
Richard was ut this time but fifteen years
of age; but he possessed courage and rare
Judgment, IN addition to determination Of
character. Soou after his fathers death, he
aud his mother removed to New York, where
he succeeded in obtaining employment which
enabled him TO provide an unpretentious
home for both. His evenings he devoted to
the study OF civil engineering, Five years
later his mother died, and, an opportunity
presenting tse'f for him tn go West in the
employ OF n prominent surveyor he availed
himself OF II. He succeeded admirably IN
his new profession, and before he had reached
the age OF thirty his reputation as a COM
petent and able engineer was fully establish
ed, AMI his fortune had assumed very
respectable proportions. He was about forty
years Of age when he married and settled In
the new and rapidly growing city OF Chicago,
where his only child--a girl-was shortly
afterward bora. The first few years of his
married life was passed in complete happi-
ness but in an unfortunate moment circun-
stance occurred which aroused his suspicious
regarding hi, wife's fidelity.
Secretly watching her, he soon obtained
sufficient clrcumstsntlsl evidence to convince
him that bis first surlnises were not unbound
ed-that tue woman who had pledged her
self at the altar to love, honor, aud obey him,
was In the habit OF receiving a paramour In
her husbands absence. Without uttering one
word to her regarding his convictions, he
hastily made the necessary business arrange
ments directed his attorney to nay annually
to his wife, until he should receive iustruc-
tions to the contrary, . stipulated sum, and,
taking with him Frederick Norton-who had
been some time in his employ-to act
As his companion aud assistant
sailed for Europe From London he
wrote to his wife explaining the cause Of his
taking this step, and warning her against the
continuance Of her reprehensible conduct I'M
der penalty OF the forfeiture OF her income
and an action against her for a divorce. In
reply to this letter he received several In
rapid succession, but he never broke their
seals-they we're consigned to the flames as
soon as the wellknown writing of the super
scrption met his eye. From the moment he
heart completely against wife and child
They were as dead to him as II their bodies
rested beneath the sod Of a cemetery. 1t was
not without pang that Richard Thorndyke
severed the cords that had entwiued his
heart; but whatever pain lac experienced he
bore silently. Years sped rapidly by. He
was IN Rome, whittier he had gone to look
after his interests in an italian railway
scheme. One morning he received a letter
bearing an American stamp and post marked
New Orleans, La. He tore open the envelope
and read as follows:
"NKw ORLEANS la, April 10, 1865
"RicHARp THoRNDYKE, Esq;
'DEAR SIR; My object in writing these lines Is to
induce you to repair the wrong you have done your
wife. Your suspicious OF her were entirely ground
less a. you would have learned had you not con.
demned her unhe I'D. You deprived her Of the priyi-
lege the law extends to the meanest criminal-that
Of defending herself. The man you suspected as er
lover is the writer OF this letter-none other than
your brother. n-law, your wfe's own brother Of
whose being you were to ally ignorant why you
never heard my name mentoned-were not told of
my existence-I will expl in. Possessing an OBJ
stinate and somewhat wilful disposition, formed
ct early Hge evil associations and before had
reached my twentieth year l was alre ted for high
way robbery, tried, convicted. and sentenced. The
reason my name was withheld from you is obvious.
At the expiration OF my term found myself In New
York pennilcss, and almost frendlcss. had but one
relation in the wide word-a sister living In Chicago.
! sought her out She hardly remembered me, for
she was on'y hid when dishonor overlook me.
She assisted m" far in her power, and be
ged that would avoid meet ng you, and asked that
Would never mention to anyone a word about the
relationship existing between u.s. She did not wish
you to be sgracel through her brother. and dread
ed the hum.l ton your discovery of my existence
WOud her The outprONth m " endCaVOr
comply with her wishes has been life of sorrow q
one OF the nobest women God ever created. an
suffering from fatal disease, and by the time this
letter reaches you shall In all probability be no more
make appeal to you. Consider II well. II 10 8
dying mans prayer Return to your mist judged wife
at once, and relieve her poor hear of Its burden Of
sorrow Do this without delay, that God may forgive
you for the misery you have wrought. Hoping my
enreaty may not be In vain. am, earnestly yours,
GEORGE FALMOUTH.
Three weeks from the receipt OF the above
letter Richard Thorndyke stood beside hi,
wife's death-bed. Poor woman she had,
several months prior to her husbands return,
been attacked with a serious pulmonary dis
ease. In vain did her remorseful husband
feryently pray that the woman he had &C
wronged and misjudged should be spared
that he could make such atonement for tho
past as still remained in his power. The Iron
had melted from his heart, but too late FOL
the gates Of heaven opened, and the gentle
woman passed from earth utterlng with hel
last breath soft words Of forgiveness for him
His sorrow was deep, tut the sympathy ant
attention OF his chlld-nOw woman, will
the same lovely face and endearing ways her
mother had possessed In her youth--proved 6
source Of great comfort to the grlef-stricker
old man, to whom the shock ccasioned b!
bis wife's death was q heavy blow. Hi